Pittsburgh Pirates

Report: Pirates' Jung Ho Kang receives suspended prison sentence in DUI case

SEOUL — Pittsburgh Pirates’ Jung Ho Kang received a suspended prison sentence Friday in South Korea in connection with a DUI accident in Seoul, late last year, according to a report from

Yonhap News Agency

, South Korea's largest news agency.

Yonhap

reported that the Seoul Central District Court sentenced Kang to eight months in prison, which will be suspended for two years. In other words, if Kang keeps his record clean for two years, he will not have to serve any jail time.

According to

Yonhap

, the ruling clears the path for Kang to travel to the United States and join the Pirates in spring training that’s already underway. The Pirates no the had no immediate comment following the ruling.

Police said Kang’s December arrest was his third for DUI, leading to the revocation of his driver’s license in South Korea.

Yonhap

reported that he was previously charged with DUI in August 2009 and May 2011, both when he was playing for the Nexen Heroes in the Korea Baseball Organization.

Pirates President Frank Coonelly released this statement:

“Now that Jung Ho’s legal case in Korea has concluded, we will continue to work with him and his representatives in an effort to secure his work visa so that he may resume his career as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates.  We look forward to meeting with Jung Ho as soon as he is able to travel to the United States and having a serious discussion with him on this issue and how he has and will change those behaviors that led to the very serious punishment that has been levied against him in Korea.  We will withhold judgment on what Club discipline, if any, is appropriate until we have had an opportunity to have that discussion.  We will also withhold from further comment until we have an opportunity to meet with Jung Ho.  Regardless of our decision on the disciplinary issue, we will do everything that we can as an organization to assist Jung Ho as he works to change his behavior and grow into the man that we know he can be.”
 

Cox Media Group

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